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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26382430">Invisible String</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildlilies/pseuds/gunsnghouls'>gunsnghouls (wildlilies)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:47:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26382430</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildlilies/pseuds/gunsnghouls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nora's last thought when the bombs fell was that she'd lost her best friend forever. As she journeys through the Commonwealth wasteland to find her kidnapped nephew, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to a charismatic mayor who brings back memories of a man long dead for over 200 years.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>John Hancock &amp; Female Sole Survivor, John Hancock/Female Sole Survivor, John Hancock/Sole Survivor (Fallout)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Invisible String</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Goooood morning, Ms. Kinston! Aren’t we lookin’ lovely on this beautiful Friday!”</p><p>Keeping her head down, Nora grinned and finished reading the test answer before responding. After marking it wrong, she glanced towards the door where the charming, smiling history teacher leaned into her classroom with one hand on the door frame, his bag swinging from his shoulder. She capped her pen and leaned back in her chair.</p><p>“Mr. McDonough - to what do I owe the pleasure?”</p><p>His smile widened as he made his way across the room, dropping his bag on the floor and hopping up onto a desk across from her. His wavy strawberry blonde hair was getting longer every day - normally he let it hang loose, but today it was half tied back. Nora looked him over appraisingly, pausing when she saw the tie he wore over his button-down shirt. </p><p>“Johnny, you never wear a tie. Why of all days are you wearing one on a Friday?”</p><p>Johnny swung his legs back and forth and shrugged, meeting her eyes and lightly tugging at the tie like it was choking at him. “Watson is observing me today. First one of the year. You can never impress someone too much!” He waggled his eyebrows at her but Nora could see the hint of anxiety in his eyes. </p><p>She stood and moved around her desk, facing him and leaning against it with crossed arms. “Nervous?”</p><p>He waved his hand in dismissal, glancing down at his tie and pulling on it again. “Nah. Well, not too much. I always get nervous over nothing…” he trailed off. Nora watched him for a moment, thinking back to all of their past observations where, over time, this conversation had become something of a routine. All it took was for the other to give them a bit of a pep talk to help them get out of their head. </p><p>“It happens. But you’re the best history teacher this school has ever seen - I mean, maybe even the best teacher period. You’re going to be fine!” She stood and leaned toward him, giving him a gentle knock on the forehead. “Just knock their socks off with that encyclopedia of history you keep stashed in your head!” </p><p>Johnny grinned and hummed in agreement. “Got any plans this weekend, <i>Nona</i>?” His eyes flashed up at her and he tried to suppress a devilish smirk. </p><p>And there he went, back to his usual teasing. “Ugh, I wish you wouldn’t call me that. It makes me feel like a grandma.” She tucked some hair behind her ear, rolling her eyes. “I don’t even know how you remember that - it was like the first day we worked here!”</p><p>“Yeah, first day I met you. How could I forget that momentous day?”</p><p>Nora blushed slightly and fiddled with the golden swirl pendant around her neck. “Momentous, please.”</p><p>Johnny’s eyes narrowed playfully, but his tone was serious. “Hey, don’t knock the importance of meeting my best friend. It was momentous to me.”</p><p>Nora glanced down and back up at him, changing the subject. “Anyway, I’m not doing much this weekend. My brother has some event at the Veteran’s Hall, but I’m not sure if I’m going with him or staying home with Shaun. I don’t really know which I prefer - I still haven’t gotten used to changing diapers, but I also don’t really want to schmooze with anyone this weekend.”</p><p>Johnny nodded knowingly. Nora had moved to Boston several years ago from the southeast. She’d lived in a crappy apartment in the city for a while until her sister-in-law, her brother Nate’s wife, died in childbirth. Her brother had been heartbroken and struggling to deal with a newborn, so she’d taken over his spare bedroom to keep an eye on him and help out with the baby. It meant she had a longer commute to DB Tech each day, but she didn’t mind that so much. </p><p>What she did mind - but would never admit to herself or anyone else - was that she missed living closer to Johnny.</p><p>He lived down by the waterfront in an apartment owned by his parents. His parents worked for the CIT, so he was able to live in the lap of relative luxury even on a young, fairly new teacher’s salary. Though well-off, he didn’t act like it and preferred spending time away from his home. He didn’t live too far from the high school, and on nice afternoons when they had nothing to do they often found themselves wandering along the waterfront, exploring little shops and cafes. Now that she lived much further out and had her brother to help, they found their little afternoon excursions occurring much less often. While it hadn’t negatively affected their relationship, it hadn’t exactly helped to suppress the pull she felt - to simply be near him. A pull that she tried to ignore more often than not. </p><p>“Well, if you want to-” The bell rang, cutting him off. “Ah shit, I gotta go set up.” Johnny hopped down and grabbed his bag, hurrying toward the door. “See you after school, Nona.” He smirked, dodging the piece of chalk she threw after him and disappeared out the door. </p><p>Nora rolled her eyes and sank back into her chair. Thankful for first-period planning, she pushed the thoughts of the long-haired history teacher with <i>enchanting</i> stormy gray eyes out of her mind and immersed herself in her grading, vowing to finish the tests before the end of the class period. </p>
<hr/><p>Finally, the last bell of the day rang and Nora found herself surrounded by a group of eager freshmen asking more questions about the play they were reading in class. She addressed each question in turn: “Yes, Juliet is old enough to get married, that’s how it was back then. I know she’s only 13, and yes, Romeo is assumed to be older but- no Bobby, it wasn’t illegal. Juliet’s mother stated, ‘By my count, I was your mother much upon these years that you are now a maid.’ Yeah, she had a baby very young, but times are different now. I will not spoil the ending Sarah, you’ll just have to come back on Monday and find out what happens next! Off you go, don’t miss your bus now!”</p><p>The chattering students herded themselves out the door, passing the history teacher who swooped in after they exited. </p><p>“Ms. Kinston, time to go. It’s Friday and I won’t let you stay here a minute longer. It’s nice out - wanna grab a coffee before you catch your bus home?”</p><p>A half an hour later they found themselves seated at a table outside a coffee shop, enjoying the breezy weather and looking out over the water. Taking a sip of coffee, Nora sighed in contentment. Johnny looked over at her and smiled. </p><p>“Whatcha thinking?”</p><p>She thought for a minute. “Not much, really. This is just… really nice. I miss being able to do this as often as I did when I lived in the city. I feel like we don’t get to hang out as much.” </p><p>She glanced at him and saw a look in his eyes she couldn’t decipher. Her stomach fluttered and she took another sip of coffee to calm herself. God, she felt like a schoolgirl with a crush on the hot guy from class. He looked so good right now casually leaning back against his chair, one arm hooked over the back of the chair and the other arm outstretched to grasp his coffee cup on the table inches away from her own hand. She could just… reach out and touch him, but she was afraid. Of what, who knew - he was physically affectionate to all of his friends, she’d seen it before. But for her to initiate something so intimate as touching his hand - was that even intimate? Nora wasn’t really sure, but she knew somehow it would change <i>something</i>. She could hear her friend Laura’s voice in her head telling her to <i>Just go for it!</i>  But the fear of rejection was too strong for her to overcome - she wouldn’t make a move until he expressed any sort of interest. </p><p>Nora realized she’d been staring when Johnny’s grin widened. “Enjoying the view? I mean, I know I’m not half bad to look at but come on, the whole waterfront is right there.” </p><p>She felt a blush creep up her neck and she pushed her hair back behind her shoulder. She forced herself to concentrate enough to roll her eyes and stick out her tongue at him. He laughed, loosening his tie further than it had already come undone over the course of the day and taking a sip of coffee. After a moment he leaned forward and tapped her hand with his index finger. Not quite an intimate touch, but a touch she’d accept all the same. </p><p>“Oh yeah, I forgot the bell interrupted me earlier. I was going to say when you figure out what you’re doing tomorrow, let me know. I could, uh, come hang out while you watch your nephew?” Johnny shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “Or if you end up going to the event, maybe meet you for a drink after? I don’t know, I mean, just if you want to…” he trailed off, looking at her nervously but expectantly. </p><p>Nora’s stomach fluttered again. He was nervous. Why was he nervous? They’d hung out plenty of times… why would this be any different? But yet… he was nervous to ask her, so had something changed? Unsure but willing to find out, she flashed him a smile and said, “Yeah, that sounds great. Why don’t I give you a call tomorrow once I figure out what the plan is and we can go from there?”</p><p>Johnny nodded, satisfied, and sat back again with a small smile, and - was that a slight blush? She bit her lip and broke eye contact, glancing back out over the water and trying to still her racing heart. </p><p>“Did you hear about the fight today during lunch?”</p><p>They fell back easily into conversation, floating from topic to topic until it started getting too dark. Johnny reluctantly glanced at his watch after a lull in the conversation. </p><p>“Crap. I gotta head out. Let me walk you to your stop.” </p><p>They gathered their things and walked slowly to the bus stop, chatting and bumping shoulders occasionally. At the bus stop, Johnny waited with Nora for the bus to arrive. “Yeah, so tomorrow morning my mom wanted me to stop by her office, but I should be home by noon. You know, when you figure out what you’re going to do and all. You have my number, right?”</p><p>Nora rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She’d only called the man a dozen times before and had memorized his number after the first time - though he didn’t need to know that last bit. She nodded and opened her mouth to reply but was cut off. A man shoved past carrying a large Mr. Handy box and bumped into her, sending her straight into Johnny. She braced her hands on his chest and his arms wrapped around her automatically, keeping her steady.</p><p>“Oof. Sorry,” she said looking up at him. Her breath hitched when she saw how close he was. She could count the freckles on his face and <i>goddamn</i> did he smell good. He said nothing but kept his arms around her, glaring at the guy as he walked away without apologizing. He opened his mouth to call after him but changed his mind, shaking his head and meeting her gaze again. If he was uncomfortable with their proximity to each other, he didn’t show it. He reached up and tucked a piece of hair that had fallen forward back behind her ear before returning his hand to her waist. She shivered slightly but otherwise didn’t move, eyes locked on his. She vaguely registered his arms tighten almost imperceptibly around her as he leaned forward just an inch, searching her face, parting his lips the smallest amount...</p><p>The squealing of the bus’s brakes brought Nora back to reality. She looked around and stepped back out of his arms reluctantly. Hoisting her bag on her shoulder, she took a step toward the bus and turned back. He hadn’t moved, but had shoved his hands in his pockets and watched her with darkened eyes. She took a breath to ensure her voice didn’t tremble when she spoke. </p><p>“I’ll call you tomorrow. Bye Johnny.”</p><p>“Bye Nora. Get home safe.”</p><p>She turned from him and made her way onto the bus. She found a seat towards the back, pulling out a book and staring at it resolutely to avoid the feeling of his eyes on her until the bus stop was no longer in sight. </p>
<hr/><p>The next morning came quickly, and Nora danced around getting ready for the day, dodging her brother hogging the bathroom. Nate had found a teenager from the neighborhood who would come over to babysit Shaun with Codsworth’s supervision, so it looked like Nora would be going with him to the event at the Veteran’s Hall that evening. While she wasn’t looking forward to so much small talk with people she didn’t know, she had picked out the perfect dress and planned to call Johnny a little later in the day to see if he’d meet her for drinks after the event. She heard a knock at the front door and moved to answer, but was blocked by her brother coming out of the bathroom.</p><p>“I got it. Looks like you could use some more time to uh... make yourself presentable,” he joked, grinning at her as he backed toward the front door. </p><p>“Wow, rude!” Laughing, she picked up a shirt from the laundry basket in the hall, wadded it up, and chucked it at his face. He dodged it, chuckling, and headed toward the door. Nora stepped into Shaun’s room to check on him. The baby was awake, watching the mobile above his head. She cooed at him for a few minutes, spinning the mobile and watching him wave his little arms. He was adorable, but she was glad she didn’t have one of her own yet. At 26, many of her friends had already gotten married and were planning to expand their families, but she was perfectly happy with focusing on her teaching career for the time being.</p><p>Minutes later, Nate joined her in the nursery. He strode over and picked up Shaun, bouncing him a little and holding him close. “How’s my big boy today?”</p><p> Nora reached down and grabbed a few spilled toys, putting them back on the shelf. “Who was at the door?”</p><p>“Some guy from Vault-Tec. We were pre-approved for Vault 111, so I signed us up.”</p><p>“Yikes. I don’t love the idea of living underground. Can you say claustrophobia?” She shuddered at the thought.</p><p>Nate shrugged. “Yeah, me neither. But at least it’s an option if something happens.”</p><p>Nora looked up at him. “Do you really think something could hap-”</p><p>“Sir? Ma’am? You might want to come see this!”</p><p>Nate and Nora glanced at each other, and she led them hurriedly out of the nursery toward the living room. Codsworth was floating by the television, and she stopped by the coffee table as Nate sunk into the couch with Shaun, focused on the television.</p><p>A terrified, haggard news anchor was speaking on the TV. “Blinding flashes… sounds of explosions.” Nora’s pulse pounded in her ears and drowned out what he was saying. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to move, fear coursing through her veins. She needed to do something. She needed to <i>move</i>. This wasn’t real, right? She should call Johnny. He’d reassure her that this wasn’t real. Just an… early Halloween prank, that’s all. She took two steps toward the phone and it brought her back to reality in time to hear, “...confirmed nuclear detonations in New York and Pennsylvania. My God.”</p><p>Outside the sirens began to wail. She was frozen, looking at the phone and willing herself to move. Suddenly Nate’s face was there still holding Shaun, saying something she couldn’t understand, he was wrenching her around and pulling her toward the door. She followed blindly, unable to process what was happening. No, she was supposed to call Johnny, she was supposed to see him today. Maybe she would even work up the nerve to kiss him, maybe- </p><p>That thought was punctuated by a vertibird flying low overhead. Time seemed to slow as she followed Nate through the neighborhood and up the hill to the vault, passing neighbors and friends screaming and wailing. They passed through the checkpoint and were herded onto a circular platform. </p><p>She looked at Nate and time seemed to catch up. “We’re going to be okay!” he shouted over the cacophony of screams and sirens. Wide-eyed, she forced herself to nod.</p><p>A flash went off in the distance, followed by an enormous mushroom cloud. The platform began to sink slowly and Nora’s mouth dropped in horror as she shielded her eyes. Obliteration was the only word that came to mind - who could survive that? The screams faded as she saw a wall of ash and dust rush towards them, and the last thought that flitted through her mind before the platform disappeared under the ground completely was how Johnny McDonough was most likely dead or would be soon, and was therefore gone from her life forever.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first Fo4 story! Looking forward to diving into this story! Let me know what you think, thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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